Vapor-burning apparatus.



No. 674,94l. Patented May 28, I901. B. B. SMITH.

VAPOR BURNING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.)

(No Model.)

llrurnp STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT D. SMITH, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

VAPOR-BURNING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 674,941, dated May 28,1901. Application filed January 9, 1899. Serial No. 701,633. (No model.)

To (ti/Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Birn1ingham,in the cou nty of Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVapor-Burning Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in vapor-burning apparatus, andparticularly to vaporizing attachments or appliances for vapor-lamps;and the purpose of the same is to provide a vaporizing device which willinsure a steady and even supply of gas to the burners, prevent chokingor stopping up of the gas-eduction opening by excess of carbon, residue,or oil thereto, the flooding of the vaporizing tube or chamber with oil,or the feed of the oil to said tube faster than it is vaporized; toincrease the area of heatingsurface of a vaporizing-tube of a givensize, so as to secure rapid vaporization; to provide for the directheating of the vaporizing-tube and component parts from the burners, andthereby make the apparatus self-generating, and to otherwise generallysimplify and improve the construction and promote the practicalefficiency of vaporizing appliances of this class.

WVith these and other minor objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts,which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, is avertical longitudinal section of a vaporizing appliance embodying myinvention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, A represents the globe,and A the chimney or flue, of a vapor-lamp of approved construction,(shown in broken lines,) and B a tank or reservoir from which thehydrocarbon oil is forced by compressed air to the vaporizer through aconducting-tube C. At one side of the chimney or flue is arranged avertical mixing-tube D, open at its upper end for the admission of airthereto and having its lower end projecting down into the globe andprovided with a horizontal arm D, extending across to the opposite sideof the globe and carrying the burners E, over which incandescent mantlesF are suspended in the usual manner.

The outer end of the conducting-tube C is suitably connected to supplyoil to an oil inlet or feed compartment g, formed at the outer end ofthe vaporizing tube or chamber G and separated from the generatingportion it thereof by a partition g, and this partition is provided withan ind notion-opening governed by a needle-valve 2', by which the feedof the oil to said chamber maybe regulated. A perforated or foraminouspartition, diaphragm, or spraying device of any kind may, however, beemployed in place of the form of partition shown to feed the oil in theform of spray into the generating portion of the vap orizing-chamber forthe purpose of facilitating its conversion into vapor. The inner end ofthe vaporizing chamber or tube is closed against the exit of oil at thatpoint and extends horizontally a sufficient distance into the chimney orflue A of the lamp (indicated by broken lines) at the side diametricallyopposite the mixing-tube to bring the major portion of the tube directlyover the burners, so that the heat from the flames of the latter willmaintain the tube in a highly-heated condition to generate gas as longas the lamp is in operation, thus providing a generating appliance whichdispenses with the use of auxiliary means for heating thevaporizingtube.

Arranged Within the vaporizing tube or chamber is an auxiliaryvaporizing device consisting of ashort pipe or tubej, which isconcentrically supported therein by perforated or winged collars orpieces a, arranged at the ends thereof to provide an intermediateannular space or passage j for circulation of the oil and the vaporgenerated therefrom, and located within the chamber and intermediate thepartition g and the front or outer end of this pipe or tube j is a perforated diaphragm consisting of a wirergauze cap or disk 70, which ispressed tightlyin the tube. This gauze cap or disk serves to divide thehydrocarbon oil or fluid into a plurality of streams and acts as a sieveand cushion to strain the oil and prevent the same from flowingtoo'freely or suddenly into" the heated portion of the vaporizing-chamberand compensates for any irregularity in the feed of the oil. due tovariations of pressure in the tank after the needle-valve has beenprimarily adjusted. The auxiliary heating device serves severalimportant functions. As it is heated by the flames from the burners, itprovides an additional area of heatingsurface and acts in conjunctionwith the vaporizing-tube to quickly vaporize the oil.- It also restrictsthe area or fiuid-carrying capacity of the generating-chamber, so thatthe latter can only hold acertain quantity of oil, audit thus preventsthe oil from flooding or feeding into said chamber faster than it can beconverted into vapor. Furthermore, the inner tube serves to insure'asmooth and even flow of the oil and p'rovides'an additional surface forthe collection of the carbon and other residue which remains upon thereduction of the oil into vapor. By this construction practically all ofthe residuum is retained in the vaporizing-tube and prevented frompassing out with the vapor and c'hokingor stoppingup the gas-eductionopening. The oil is consequently vaporized as fast as it enters thegenerating-chamber and a steady and even supply of gasins'ured from theoutset.

A gas-eduction chamber or tube L extends through the chimney or flue Aof the lamp and is secured by brazing or otherwise to the upper surfaceof the vaporizing-tube, and the two'tubes L and Gare in communication bymeans of aseries' of openings m. One end of the gas-tube is closed,while the other end thereof projects into the vertical portion of themixing-tube D and is provided in'its bottom with an eduction-opening'11, through which the vapor discharges into the mixingtube and mixeswith the .air drawn thereinto to form gas, which passes down thetube'and through the horizontal arm D thereof to the burners; Arrangedin the gas-tube in ad- Vance of each opening m is a perforated orfo'raminous' diaphragm in the form of a wiregauze cap or disk 0, andbefore the eduction opening a'similar diaphragm 0. These disks 0 and 0'act as sieves to catch and retain in the tube any small particles ofcarbonthat may pass out of the vaporizing-tube. By thus providingavaporizing-tube adapted to retain practically all the carbon residueand anauxiliary gas-tube containing a series of sieves to catch anylittle particles that may escape therefrom the vaporizing device may beused for a" long period without cleaning and the gas-edu'ction openingkept clear to prevent a reduction'or stoppageof the flow of the vapor tothe mixing-tube.

In operation the vaporizing-tube and parts are preliminarily heated byan alcohol or other fiaine and the needle-valve i opened to allow theoil flowing under pressure to enter the'outer end of the generatingportion of the The oil is checked'and strained in its tube.

passage by the gauze diaphragm is and then flows evenly to thehighly-heated portion of the vaporizing-tube in which the inner pipe ortube is located. Upon arriving at the outer or induction end of theinner pipe some of the liquid enters through the part therein andtraverses said pipe until it reaches the eduction-port at the inner endof the pipe, when it again returns into the vaporizing-tube, the oil orfluid thus being divided into a plurality of streams and subjected tothe heat of the vaporizing-tube itself and that of the pipe within thesame, so that it is quickly converted into vapor. The carbon and otherresiduum remaining upon the reduction of the volatile elements of theoil into vapor is caught and retained to a large extent within thevaporizing-tube, the inner tube providing an additional area ofcollecting-surface to which the said residuum clings. The vapor thenflows into the gas-tube through the openings m and through the gauzediaphragms 0 and 0 contained therei'mto'the educt-ion-opening at, whenit passes into the mixing-tube D 1 and is commingled with the air drawnthereinto to form gas,vwhich flows down said mix-' ing-tube and throughthe horizontal arm D thereof to the burners. The straining of the vaporas it passes through the wire-gauze dia-.

phragms in the gas-tube results in the separation therefrom of anylittle particles of carbon which may have passed out of thevaporizing-tube, and thus all liability of-choking or clogging of thegaseduction opening by residuum is avoided. It will be understood fromthe foregoing description that the gas when generated is ignited by theflame used 1 at the outset and that the heat from the burners is thenutilized to maintain the vapo rizingtube, the auxiliary tube in thevaporizingtube, and the gas-tube in a highly-heated condition as long asthe lamp is in operation. It

; will also be understood that the gas-tube acts Eas a superheater tomaintain the gas in a highly-heated condition and prevent condensation.

I-Iavingthus described the invention,- what is claimed as new is 1. Avaporizing device, comprising a vaporizing tube or chamber having anoil-feed connection at or near one end and closed at its other endagainst the ex'itof gas or vapor, an auxiliary vaporizing memberarranged therein, a gas-eduction tube or chamber connected to the uppersurface of the vaporizing-tube and in communication therewith I througha series of openings and provided at one end with an outlet, and aseries of foraminous diaphragms in said gas-eduction tube, one arrangedin advance of each'of said openings and one before said outlet.

2. In a lamp of the character described, the combination of avaporizing-tube extending horizontally into the flue or chimney of thelamp'at one side thereof and having an oil feed. connection at its outerend and closed against the exit of oil or vapor at its inner end, agas-tube connected to the upper portion of the vaporizing-tube and incommunication therewith and having one end projecting to the exteriorthrough the opposite side of the chimney and provided with aneduction-opening, a burner in the globe of the lamp, and a mixing-tubeleading from the eduction end of the gas-tube to the burner.

3. In a vapor-burner, the combination of a burner, a mixing-tubeconnected thereto, a vaporizing chamber located horizontally above theburner, a gas-tube lying above and parallel with the vaporizing-chamberand having an end portion overlapping and in communication with the saidvaporizing-chamber and having its opposite end in communication with themixing-tube, an apertured pipe within the chamber, and a perforateddiaphragm located within said chamber at or near the end of said pipe.

4.. In a vapor-burning apparatus, the combination of a burner, amixing-tube connected to and extending upwardly from the burner, avaporizing-tube extending longitudinally above the burner, and agas-tube also extending longitudinally above the burner and connectingthe vaporizing and mixing tubes.

5. In a lamp of the character described, the combination of aburnerarranged in the globe of the lamp, a vaporizing-tube extendinghorizontally into the chimney of the lamp at one side thereof andlocated above and in the heating zone of the burner, said tube having anoil feed connection at or near its outer end and closed at its inner endagainst the exit of oil or vapor, a gas-tube also projecting into thechimney within the heating zone of the burner and in communication withthe upper portion of the vaporizing-tube between the terminals of thelatter and having one end projecting to the exterior through theopposite side of the chimney and provided with an eduction-opening, anda mixing-tube in communication with the eduction end of the gas-tube andprojecting vertically therefrom into the globe and having a lateral armconnected to the burner.

6. In a vapor-burning apparatus, the combination of a burner, avaporizing device extending longitudinally above the burner andcomprising a vaporizing-tube and a superimposed gas-tube connected tothe upper surface of said vaporizing-tube and in communicationtherewith, and a mixing-tube connected at its upper inlet end to thegas-tube and leading downwardly therefrom and thence under saidvaporizing device and connected at its lower end to the burner.

7. In a lamp, a vaporizer arranged in the chimney of the lamp andcomposed of a vaporizing-t-ube and a gastube in communication therewith,said tubes respectively having their induction and eduction endsprojecting through the chimney to the exterior, a burner in the globe ofthe lamp, an oil-reservoir in connection with the eXteriorly-projectinginduction end of the vaporizing-tube, and a mixing-tube leading from thesaid eX- teriorly-projecting eduction end of the gastube to the burner.

8. In a vapor-burner, a mixing-tube, a burner in communicationtherewith, a vaporizing-chamber arranged horizontally above the burner,and a gas-tube lying above and parallel with the vaporizing-chamberandhav ing an end portion overlapping and in communication with the saidvaporizing-chamber and having its opposite end in communication with themiXing-tube, in combination with an auxiliary heating device locatedWithin said vaporizing-chamber, and a perforated diaphragm at or nearthe end of said auxiliary heating device for dividing the hydrocarbonfluid into streams in said chamber.

9. In a lamp, a flue or chimney, a vaporizing-chamber, a gas-chamber incommunication with the vaporizing-chamber, said vaporizing and gaschambers being extended longitudinally above the burner and in theheating zone thereof and located at or near the base of the line orchimney, and a mixing tube leading from the gas-chamber to the burner.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT D. SMITH. [L. s]

Witnesses:

W. E. FRENCH, W. P. TALMAG-E.

